Posted to News on 22nd Nov 2013, 14:12
3D measurement for railway bearing quality control
Olmec UK has designed a turnkey laser height system for inspecting bearings used in the railway industry. Using an LMI Gocator 3D smart camera, which includes an integrated laser source and optics and provides on-board processing of 3D data, the Gocator 2050 sensor system measures the height of various bearings used in bogies in the rail industry. The bearing consists of a number of different components and if any part is missing the height of the bearing will differ from that which is expected.
The Gocator 2050 sensor is mounted over the existing conveyor on the OE Line and offers a field of view of 158-365mm and a measurement depth range of 400mm. Bearings with a height range of 125mm to 285mm are measured to a tolerance of +/- 1mm. The system provides a simple recipe selection and sensor management interface based on Olmec's versatile, modular VP3 touch screen user interface, complete with multi-layer security so that only authorised personnel can allow adjustment of the sensor or measurement parameters.
Olmec's Gocator records profile images and measures the height of the finished product. If the height of the component is not within the expected tolerances then the conveyor belt is stopped and an audible alarm raised as well as an alarm displayed on the touch screen. Statistics such as the number of parts processed, and pass and fail criteria may be displayed on the touch screen as well as any other dimension/statistical data output from the camera.
An integrated industrial PC is connected to the Gocator for management of the overall system. Error handling and interfacing to the existing process is handled using a Programmable Logic Controller. Should an error occur, the conveyor is halted to ensure no faulty product can pass through for packing. A remote access capability allows Olmec to support the system quickly and easily.
To learn more about the Gocator 2050 sensor system please visit www.olmec-uk.com.
